Living in the Reality of Injustice: Defeating the World’s Doubt About Christians

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Picture by Emmanuel Huybrechts

Picture by Emmanuel Huybrechts

As believers and followers of Jesus, there is a great tension between our sinful condition and the grace and mercy of Jesus on our behalf. Our world is full of an abundance of issues and problems. It doesn’t take long to notice that our world is in deep, thick turmoil. Although this is a difficult reality for us to grasp as Christians, we should not be surprised, for Jesus himself spoke of these things during his ministry.

The Reality of Biblical Proof

In Matthew 24:3–6, the disciples ask Jesus a simple question, and He responds:

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 

Questions to Ponder

In The Reason for God, Timothy Keller discusses three questions that he uses when confronting injustice in the church:

  1. If Christianity is the truth, why are so many non-Christians living better lives than the Christians?
  2. If Christianity is the truth, why has the institutional church supported war, injustice, and violence over the years?
  3. Even if Christian teaching has much to offer, why would we want to be together with so many smug, self-righteous, dangerous fanatics?1

Our Response

After reading this passage of Scripture, observing these questions, and realizing that this is a reality in our world today, I personally find myself in a state of questioning. How are we to respond to the injustices and tragedies of this world? What are we to do when the Church does not seem to be fulfilling its intended purpose? I don’t think there is just one answer or solution to this problem, but I immediately thought of the word obedience. There is no better place to look than Scripture because God gives us all that we need within His Word of truth.

James 1:22–25 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Church, let’s be obedient to what God calls us to do, both individually and corporately. All we can do is stand firm upon the truth of God’s Word and expectation, not settling for anything less. Although this world will always be tainted until the return of Christ, there is much at stake and much work to do. We can be the change and choose to not conform to the patters of this world as Romans 12 tells us. Obedience leads to blessing, favor and influence. So, let’s be obedient today and leave the results to the Lord, knowing that He is all sufficient.

1Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (New York:Riverhead Books, 2008), 53.